IU can save season by beating Boilers

The Boilermakers and rival Indiana University head into their final regular-season meeting today from opposite ends of the basketball spectrum.

The No. 8 Boilers are a game behind Ohio State in the race for the Big Ten regular-season title. The Hoosiers are a loss from tying Iowa in the conference cellar.

"They'll be ready to play," said Johnson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday the day Purdue won its fourth consecutive game over IU, 67-53 on Feb. 8. "We beat them here at Purdue. Their crowd is really good down there, and it'll probably be even better once we get in town."

Purdue (22-5, 11-3 Big Ten) is coming off consecutive home victories over top-10 teams, Wisconsin and Ohio State. Both the 6-10 Johnson and senior guard E'Twaun Moore have been playing at elite levels.

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Johnson (20.4 points, 7.7 rebounds) and Moore (18.6 points) are among the league's top four scorers. Moore had 38 points against Ohio State, the most by a player in a Big Ten game since 2006.

For the Hoosiers, it is an opportunity to upset their biggest rival.

While IU has struggled, it has also beaten two nationally ranked teams, Illinois and Minnesota, at home. Knocking off Purdue -- and all but ensuring its rival doesn't win the Big Ten -- would be a salve on what is heading toward a third consecutive losing season.

"I don't think there's any question about that," Crean said. "At the same time, as with all great rivalries, it never really matters what the records are.

"But with our margin for error as slim as it is and the way they're playing, it's going to take everyone and it's going to have to involve emotion, energy, toughness and most importantly execution."

Last year, the Hoosiers, who would finish 10-21, fell just 78-75 when the Boilers were ranked No. 7 and on the way to a share of the league title. It was Purdue's first win in Bloomington since 1999.

The Hoosiers are committed to getting off to a fast start tonight.

"This is our biggest rivalry game and there's going to be 17,000 in this place and we can't afford to come out sluggish," freshman guard Jordan Hulls said. "We just have to come out with our hair on fire and play with that energy.''

Added IU's Derek Elston: "This is kind of like the season for us. This is huge. And it's not just because they're No. 8, it's because it's IU-Purdue. It wouldn't matter if they were at the bottom of the totem pole. We would still take this game very seriously."